Member Avatar for drluke

i have a dell monitor with two usb ports on the side of the monitor.
the monitor did not come with any usb cable. but want to use the usb
port with the monitor.
Can anybody help me out with this problem.

  • 3 Contributors
  • 2 Replies
  • 212 Views
  • 7 Hours Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by rubberman

Dani AI

Generated

Good replies from and — they pointed to the missing upstream connection. A few practical tips and checks that weren’t mentioned will make sure the monitor’s side ports actually work and perform as expected.

First, identify the upstream connector type on the monitor (the port the missing cable should plug into). Different Dell models use different upstream connectors: older models commonly use a USB Type‑B (the printer-style receptacle), many later monitors with faster ports use a USB 3.0 Type‑B (SuperSpeed) upstream, and very recent models may use USB‑C. Look for labels like “Upstream” or “SS” (SuperSpeed) or a blue-colored port to tell the difference — that decides which replacement cable you need and the maximum transfer speed the hub will provide (USB2 = 480 Mbps, USB3 = up to 5 Gbps).

Troubleshooting checklist:

  1. Use the correct upstream cable for the connector you find.
  2. Plug the upstream cable into a host USB port on the PC (prefer rear motherboard ports if possible).
  3. After connecting, verify the OS sees the monitor hub (Windows: Device Manager -> USB controllers; macOS: System Information -> USB).
  4. If downstream devices don’t appear, try a different host port and/or a different cable; some cheap or long cables reduce USB3 performance.
  5. Power note: monitor ports supply limited current (USB2 ≈ 500 mA, USB3 ≈ 900 mA per port); bus‑powered external hard drives or some phones may need a powered hub or their own power adapter.
  6. If the monitor supports video-over-USB (rare) it may require a specific driver (DisplayLink, etc.); otherwise video is still carried by VGA/DVI/HDMI and USB is just a hub.

For the exact replacement cable and any model‑specific quirks, consult the Dell user manual for your monitor model — it lists the upstream port type and recommended cable.

Recommended Answers

All 2 Replies

Member Avatar for logstore12

I bet the monitor came with (if not, you will have to get one) a cable that is to go from your computer's USB port to the monitor. It's not a VGA or DVI cable for displaying pictures on your monitor. It's a separate USB cable. Once you hook it up, you will be able to use the USB ports on your monitor.

Edited by Ezzaral because: Do not sign your posts with 'fake signatures'; Use the signature facility from your control panel.
Member Avatar for rubberman

It should take a standard USB cable (square end goes into monitor, flat end into computer). You can get one from just about anywhere for a few $$.

Edited by rubberman
Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.